Sixteen Colors is an online archive for ANSI and ASCII artpacks, preserving a digital artform originally intended for display on computer textmode consoles. The artform gained popularity in the early nineties with the rise of dial-up Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). Artists began releasing their work in monthly collections called artpacks, with rivalry between groups like ACi D and i CE fueling fierce competition. The rise of the Internet in the late nineties led to the decline of BBS's and waning interest in ANSI/ASCII art. Despite this, artists still produce artpacks in collectives today. Sixteen Colors aims to collect these artpacks as an archive in the public interest.
The site offers features including a tagging system for content categorization, advanced text search, and the ability to upload and self-publish artpacks. Users can collaborate on public Pablo Draw or Moebius servers, share textmode art through unique URLs, and use a modern SAUCE editor to add metadata to artwork. A chat feature connects ANSI/ASCII artists via IRC, Discord, or Messenger.
For those interested in learning more, "THE ART OF WAREZ" is a recommended short-film about the origins and history of the ANSI art scene.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing